IPL 2021 | Very excited about the IPL as I have never played in UAE before, feels Tabraiz Shamsi

Tabraiz Shamsi, the No.1 bowler ICC's T20I rankings was recently signed up by the Rajasthan Royals for the second leg of IPL 2021, to be held in the UAE from September 19. Shamsi had last appeared in the league in 2016 when he represented the Virat Kohli-led RCB in four games. However, he had to wait for another five years for his next gig.

"The IPL is a different thing. I have played in the past but I was a lot younger and I didn't get a lot of game time regularly. When you get regular game time, you can showcase what you can do. You can improve. And from a Proteas' perspective, I'm really happy I got picked up in the IPL because I've never been there and played there. It will be nice if I can play on those pitches and get some inside information and gain some experience; just to be able to pick up some knowledge and information that might help us in the World Cup."

"From my own experience, you just have to wait for your opportunity, but while you're waiting you have to keep on working. You can't be sulking and down on yourself, and then your opportunity comes and you don't grab it," he said. "Some people get 20 opportunities, others might only get one or two. You have to make sure you're preparing and working hard, so that when your opportunity does come you grab it with both hands and live your dream."

Shamsi, who was recently part of The Hundred and talking about the innovative tournament, said that it's a much quicker format than T20 cricket, and that he relished the experience.